What is the impact of environmental stressors on our health? The World Health Organization estimates that environmental hazards are responsible for as much as a quarter of diseases worldwide, and more than one-third of diseases among children. During Earth Month 2011, Fulton County will take steps to mitigate the health impact of environmental stressors in four identified neighborhoods.

Fulton County’s Earth Month 2011 communities include Bolton/Old Gordon, Vine City/English Avenue, Bankhead/Bolton, and Riverside. Environmental stressors in these neighborhoods include vacant and abandoned properties, poor air quality, landfills, illegal dumping, dumping in streams, litter, and pests. There is evidence to suggest that these stressors, along with economic stressors in these neighborhoods, are linked to increased rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease.

Residents are invited to kick-off events in each of the targeted neighborhoods to learn more about County services that can help them improve their health and quality of life. Supportive services will include health screenings, housing services, employment services, youth and aging services, rabies clinic and pet safety information.

Each kickoff event will be followed by a full week of environmental cleanup and outreach activities in the designated community, including stream and neighborhood cleanup efforts, mosquito and rodent control efforts, and more.

During Earth Month, the County will also coordinate farmers markets, to address existing “food deserts” in the identified neighborhoods, which prevent access to healthy and affordable foods.Community Earth Month kickoff events are scheduled as follows:

Fulton County Board of Commissioners’ Vice Chair Emma I. Darnell represents District 5, which is home to several of the targeted neighborhoods. Vice Chair Darnell said, “The time has come when we must come together to face serious environment and environmental justice challenges facing Fulton County. ‘If not us, who? If not now, when?’ “